Bin Laden Tape Made No Specific Threat

[Bossy Monkey]

Oct 31, 7:03 PM EST

Bin Laden Tape Made No Specific Threat

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A top government counterterrorist official says the new videotape of Osama bin Laden appears to contain no specific threat but is aimed instead at showing al-Qaida remains active and effective.

John Brennan, director of the government's leading terror-threat analysis unit, the Terrorist Threat Integration Center, told reporters Saturday that bin Laden was likely attempting to "demonstrate that al-Qaida, as an organization, is still effective, even though they have not, in fact, been able to do something here in the states."

He said the admitted mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks was seeking to justify the continued existence of al-Qaida.

The Bush administration left the terror threat level unchanged, despite warning state and local officials that bin Laden's reemergence could portend a new terrorist attack.

(more)
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BIN_LADEN?SITE=SCCOL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[bemildred]

1. Another brilliant analysis. nt

[tech3149]

2. One minor point that isn't mentioned

is that the video released wasn't complete. Our government through the Qatar govt. delayed the release of the video and asked for approval on what was released. It was mentioned in Russian and Asian press earlier in the week.

[maddezmom]

3. White House says bin Laden tape mere rhetoric..is this the spin

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The White House labelled Osama bin Laden (news - web sites)'s surprise address to the American people as "threatening rhetoric," but said intelligence officials were still analyzing the tape for anything more menacing.





White House Chief of Staff Andy Card sought to allay public concerns that the Al-Qaeda leader's reappearance on a video broadcast Friday might presage a terrorist attack aimed at disrupting Tuesday's presidential election.


"I can tell you, it's rhetoric. It's threatening rhetoric. We don't have any specific threat information that comes out of that tape," Card told CNN.


At the same time, he said CIA (news - web sites) and FBI (news - web sites) officials were scrutinising the video for any sign that it could contain a hidden directive for Al-Qaeda operatives to carry out some sort of strike.





http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1520&ncid=1520&e=2&u=/afp/20041031/pl_afp/us_vote_attacks_qaeda

[maddezmom]

4. so when will the CIA and FBI be done analyzing????

[maddezmom]

5. Card: "They're on the run. They're hiding ... They are really just filled

They're on the run. They're hiding ... They are really just filled with hot air and rhetoric right now," he added.

So are they just a "nuisance"?

[54anickel]

6. HA! Good one!

Wasn't good for a fear bump, so now just a "nuisance".

[maddezmom]

8. thanks...I hate that MoFo almost as much as cheney

[cliss]

7. I'm going to take issue with one sentence,

"...even though they have not, in fact, been able to do something here in the states".

How do they know that they haven't been able to do "something". Just because nothing has happened? Maybe Al Qaida is biding its time, mulling over the possibilities. Bin Laden certainly didn't seem cheated of any opportunities for more disruption. It's feeble thinking like this that really makes me worry about my country with this administration.

Bin Laden appears to be in control in the video. He does not appear desperate, or fanatical. Quite the opposite: his choice of words and phrases reveals that events proceed according to his choosing. HE will decide when and where some nightclub, or school, or water reservoir will get hit.

That's what makes him so dangerous. I'm not sure they comprehend that in Washington.